Can anyone refer me to a Perth Doctor to ask questions about Preconceiving

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Can anyone refer me to a Perth Doctor to ask questions about Preconceiving

My husband and I have made the decision that we are ready to try and conceive. I have just gotten off the pill after 10 years of being on it. My husband works away 6 months of the year so is home every second month for a whole month at a time (Month on, Month off). We are wanting to start trying when he gets home starting the 1st February 2013. We are wanting to make an appointment with a doctor who can answer all of our questions. I have done alot of research as to how to calculate my ovulation etc but just want to actually confirm with a doctor that what I know is correct. My husband also wants to be there at the appointment so he understands it all properly as well. We are young (25 & 29) and dont believe we will have any problems conceiving however dont want just "try" and see what happens, then a year passes and we havent fallen. Given that he is only home every second month we feel that we only have limited time to give it a go. If anyone knows a particular doctor in the Perth area that i guess specialises in fertility that would be great. Any advise or comments are welcome. Thank you Tahnee :-)

It's so exciting when you decide that you're ready to try for a baby. Some women who come off the pill get pregnant the very next month. Most take about 4-6 months for their hormones to come into balance, after having used hormonal birth control to keep them from getting pregnant, and some can actually take up to a hear for their hormones to balance.

I'd highly recommend that you start your preconception care right now, and that your husband do so also. Sperm that are not strong and healthy can be the cause of some miscarriages and can also be the cause of the inability to conceive. If sperm can't find their way to the egg or if they are weak, they will not be able to fertilize an egg. Sperm that are high quality will increase your odds of conceiving faster, avoiding miscarriage and delivering a truly healthy baby.

It takes 3-4 months for an egg cell to fully develop into an "adult egg" that is capable of being fertilized. It also takes 4 months for sperm to develop. So a 3-4 month preconception period is really helpful, and you are young enough now that investing 3-4 months in preparation will not reduce your chances of getting pregnant, but will greatly increase your chances of conceiving a healthy baby and avoiding miscarriage - especially because you have old hormones (birth control hormones) that need to be worked out of your body.

I commend you for being proactive in your desire to learn all you can about getting pregnant before trying in February. In my 25+ years of working with women, I've heard many say that their doctor didn't know the information that they were looking for. Sadly, many of those women tried to conceive for years with no success. When I taught them how to watch their personal signs of fertility and shared about how they could get their baby making sex timing perfect, some fell pregnant quickly - even after 5 years of trying. Most fell pregnant within a month or two if they were fertile (hormones were balanced and having cycles with of a good length).

Christine Hopkins is a Naturopathic Doctor and mother of 5, who is in the South Perth area. She has over 30 years experience helping support couples reach their dreams of creating a healthy family. She has had 5 homebirths and breastfed for 14 years. Her passion is to promote healthy choices which result in truly healthy babies. I would encourage you to have a preconception appointment with a midwife or a naturopathic doctor.

And you are welcome to post any questions you may have in our forums. You'll find a ton of helpful information here.

I have called Christine and left a message so I look forward to hearing from her and making an appointment.

Regarding your comment about "I've heard many say that their doctor didn't know the information that they were looking for. Sadly, many of those women tried to conceive for years with no success". This is definitely one of my worries and will definitely be trying to avoid this and precisely why I didn't want to just go to any doctor.

You are wise to seek out a practitioner who can guide you in the best way to prepare your body for pregnancy, and who can also give you tips on how to get your baby making sex timing and techniques perfect.